As with many things in Savannah, The Rail Pub has a sordid past. The pub has been everything from a boarding house to a brothel since its opening in 1890. Located in what used to be known as Savannah Georgia’s own “Red Light” district, the Rail holds true to its roots and is still a “house of pleasure” today.

The pub got its name for the day laborers that would gather in Franklin Square (across the street) to wait for work on the railroad. “The Rail Pub” continues to honor that historic tradition by persevering as a haven of comfort, a beacon of light as it were, for hard working patrons on a daily basis.

In January 2010, Northeast Florida Paranormal Investigations (NEFLPI) did a paranormal study on The Rail and a number of instances that have occurred within the pub walls. The investigative team experienced the smell of perfume, high K2 meter readings, and unexplained lights flickering all throughout the evening. More about their findings can be read here. Although findings have not yet established the building as being haunted, all evidence is currently under review — we will keep you posted!

Although built in 1870, the building wasn’t completed until 1890 by Augustus Walker, starting what would become a long history of procrastination. Starting as a single family, Savannah Grey Brick home, the building underwent a number of transitions before being purchased in 1995 — after sitting vacant for years — giving it a new beginning as what would become one of the most popular watering holes in the southeast.